Durango, Colorado Public Records

Emergency service documentation falls under a different jurisdiction: the Durango Fire and Rescue Authority maintains its own records of incident reports and emergency responses, available through their website at https://www.durangofire.org/.

Registration must be completed at least 29 days before an election to receive a mail ballot, though the state offers same-day voter registration during early voting and on Election Day. Online registration requires a valid Colorado driver's license or ID card number; first-time voters without state ID must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number. Municipal elections in the city occur in odd-numbered years, typically the first Tuesday in April, for mayor and city council positions. The next Durango municipal election is April 2025, with city council candidates and potentially ballot measures on the ballot. The mayor serves a four-year term and council members serve staggered four-year terms. Information on municipal candidates, measures, and results is available at https://www.durangogov.org/308/Elections or through the Laplata County Clerk. Colorado operates as a universal mail ballot state: all registered voters automatically receive a mail ballot 18-22 days before each election. Voters can return ballots by mail with no postage required, at 24-hour ballot drop boxes throughout Laplata County, or in person at Voter Service and Polling Centers. To find your specific polling location or drop box, visit https://www.govotecolorado.gov or call the Laplata County Clerk. Public election records in the state include voter registration lists (available with restrictions under § 1-2-227), campaign finance reports (viewable at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov), candidate filings and statements, precinct-level results, and ballot measure text. In the November 2024 general election, La Plata County reported approximately 68% voter turnout, with roughly 32,000 ballots cast out of 47,000 registered voters. For the November 3, 2026 general election, local voters will decide several key races: Colorado's Governor race (current term expires 2027, so 2026 election expected), one U.S. Senate seat (Michael Bennet's seat is up in 2028, John Hickenlooper's in 2026), Colorado House District 3 (U.S. Representative), State Senate District 6, State House District 58, county commissioners, county sheriff, county clerk, county assessor, and potentially local ballot measures and district attorney. Absentee voting in Colorado is automatic; all voters receive mail ballots. Military and overseas voters can request ballots electronically through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.